Out of my collection of 155 Blu-ray boxes, 99 are region free and out of those 6 were imported from Region B countries.

Prior to switching to Blu-ray exclusivity, New Line's Hairspray was being delayed because of the lack of region controls because it was still in theatres in some part of the world while the Blu-ray and DVD releases came out in Region A soon after it finished in theatres in Region A countries.

Now since a format has won out the industry and focus on a single format. The result will ultimately be cheap br products for the consumer. The lack of a single format (while understandable if you're the company trying to be that single format) has kept prices of br higher than they should be (even though it's a more expensive option than HD-DVD), numbers will bring the cost down, and player manufactures won't need to produce two different players for two different formats which in it self has built in savings. A single format is good for consumers.

...for the losers.

Imagine the poor HD-DVD adopters who chose a format that eventually will be abandoned. They are f*cked. They will either have to keep their old deck and movies to watch them, or buy them over again on blu-ray, spending more money.

I don't think a new format for optical disc is coming after DVD and blu-ray. This is going to be it for a long time (10 years?). While many say downloading will replace owning media, I think that is too far off to be concerned.

Toshiba will have lost millions. My guess is about 300 to 600 million dollars will be declared "lost" when its really over. The studios won't lose money because they sold discs and will sell more.

Bring on the blu-ray drives in Macs and PCs. Bring on true HD.

I feel sorry for the losses that Toshiba will incur given that they entered the quest for a format to succeed DVD in good faith. Unfortunately, both Microsoft and Intel supported this "War" from the sidelines with no clear motive as to their interest in a market of which that had no prior experience. I don't recall a Microsoft DVD player. I think Microsoft's input into this arena poisoned the chalice for all of the HD-DVD consortium given that if you lie down with dogs, you get up with fleas! There were studios that would NEVER support a Microsoft backed format (for whatever reason), Disney and Columbia for obvious reasons. Of course, the consortium lied to the other studios, conveniently discounting PS3's from their penetration statistics on the basis that the PS3 wasn't "primarily" a disc player! Duh! So, a number of companies will lose and pay the price for their "association" with Microsoft. Let's face it, there wasn't that much to chose between the formats themselves. I wonder whether "...the Empire will compensate you for your loss..." ???

WHY would any company, at this point in time, EVER trust Microsoft as a partner. Following Microsoft, the ultimate follower, is protracted suicide.

Look at their attempts at online music sales like "Plays4Sure", how they dumped it AND their partners when it became obvious that it was never going to unseat the iPod and iTunes Store. What happens when they finally figure out that the Zune will fare no better.

Yep, it's official. Toshiba has officially killed their retarded offspring.

http://blog.wired.com/gadgets/2008/02/hd-dvd-death-ma.html

I really don't care about either format. my thing is this so blue ray is king..... but for how long??? It is only a matter of time before distribution of music, movies, software all shift to online downloads. You would have to be a fool not to see the writing on the wall. seems like an empty victory. I know you are all going to say the quality for hd movie downloads isn't there yet, and I will agree with you, but i can see that changing in 1 to 2 years. The main reason hd quality downloads are not up to par right now is due to bandwidth, but with services like fios coming from verizon the bandwidth will be there and you will see the quality of hd downloads go way up.

Unfortunately, both Microsoft and Intel supported this "War" from the sidelines with no clear motive as to their interest in a market of which that had no prior experience.

What do you mean "supported from the sidelines"? Others here (including the foolish who actually believe the MS was pushing the war to buy time for some unseen product) would say MS was far from sitting on the sidelines.

I don't recall a Microsoft DVD player.

Don't they make one for the XBox (or at least were supposed to?)

I think Microsoft's input into this arena poisoned the chalice for all of the HD-DVD consortium given that if you lie down with dogs, you get up with fleas! There were studios that would NEVER support a Microsoft backed format (for whatever reason), Disney and Columbia for obvious reasons.

Right, I'm sure that was it. If MS wasn't involved with HD-DVD, they would have won? Based on your argument, you should be happy MS was involved, since it quickened its death and brought about the single format holding everything up.

Of course, the consortium lied to the other studios, conveniently discounting PS3's from their penetration statistics on the basis that the PS3 wasn't "primarily" a disc player! Duh! So, a number of companies will lose and pay the price for their "association" with Microsoft.

And how does the association with MS caused them to lie to the studios (because the only thing MS had was a DVD player on an xbox, which would have the same "It's not primarily a player" argument. Did they somehow force these guys to lie to the studios?

Look at their attempts at online music sales like "Plays4Sure", how they dumped it AND their partners when it became obvious that it was never going to unseat the iPod and iTunes Store. What happens when they finally figure out that the Zune will fare no better.

They have NOT dumpted Play4Sure. They may not use it for the Zune, but in no way is it dead. You can still license it, as some still do.

And why do you call those that licensed it "partners". There was NO partnership. All they did was license a DRM technology. They didn't 'partner' up with MS to make their music stores or their MP3 players. They needed a DRM, and MS was the only people out there licensing up one (since Apple preferred to keep theirs to themselves, no sense having to deal with any competition unless you need to).

I guess you think the other makers should have just abandoned the MP3 player and digital music markets? Or, better yet, have everyone come up with their own DRM so nothing is portable?

I'm not sure why you'd want one or the other to win - and I will personally not buy ANY HD format until there is an easy crack for the digital rights mangling.

D is for DVD, it's good enough for me.

As far as region code concern and just like the long existing region coded standard def DVD, there will be some cheap unknown Blue-ray players that can play all regions and they are for sale in Wal-Mart. It really doesn't matter unless you are buying a well-known brand like Sony.